DORCHESTER — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced over $18 million in grants that will support an expanded clean energy workforce. Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll announced the awards alongside Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper, Labor and Workforce Development (LWD) Secretary Lauren Jones, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) CEO Jennifer Deloisio and other officials at Pipefitters Local 537 in Dorchester. The awards, provided by the MassCEC, go to over 40 organizations that are focused on lowering barriers faced by underserved and underrepresented populations entering the clean energy workforce, introducing young people to clean energy careers, providing essential training for climate critical fields and supporting minority- and women-owned businesses entering and expanding in the clean energy sector. A strong, skilled, inclusive workforce is essential to achieving the Commonwealth’s climate goals in 2030 and 2050.
“Strengthening a dynamic and inclusive clean energy workforce is vitally important to reaching our state’s climate targets. These awards stand at the intersection of the climate crisis, environmental justice, and economic development,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These awards empower our communities and residents to actively join this clean energy transition by creating pathways that offer accessible entry points into valuable careers, ultimately creating a diverse, inclusive and robust workforce.”
“The clean energy industry will bring valuable jobs to residents across Massachusetts. We can deliver the benefits of clean energy to our communities and our own neighbors can be the ones to do it,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “I was glad to be with the Pipefitters today to make this important announcement. These investments mean more people will be able to access good-paying, union jobs created by the clean energy transition.”
In total, 44 awardees will receive over $18 million. Funding for these awards comes through expanded MassCEC workforce programming.
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Equity Workforce Training grants provide support and technical assistance to organizations that provide job training and wraparound support services to underserved or low- and moderate-income communities, current or former fossil fuel workers, members of Federally-recognized and state acknowledged tribes, or individuals from environmental justice (EJ) neighborhoods. This year, 24 organizations will receive $10.6 million in total. Grants are responsive to organizations’ needs and range from planning and capacity building to full implementation of training programs.
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Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise grants (MWBE) support to organizations implementing or expanding programs that support the creation, entry, and expansion of MWBE companies into critical sectors while addressing systemic and social barriers to entering the clean energy sector are awarded to nine organizations and are designed to provide critical business supports. Grants total over $4 million.
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Offshore Wind Works supports the growth and capacity of a workforce trained to build, assemble, install, and operate and maintain offshore wind farms while advancing Massachusetts as a national leader and innovator in offshore wind workforce training. Awards support projects related to skilled trades, technical education, training infrastructure and equipment, and worker safety in offshore wind. Eleven organizations will receive a total $3.4 million, with support from Vineyard Wind and SouthCoast Wind.
“The heroes of the climate crisis will be workers. It will be electricians, plumbers, builders and innovators who are building our clean energy future from the ground up,” said Secretary Tepper. “These investments are critical for bridging the workforce gap and driving the clean energy transition in an equitable way.”
"The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to creating a more equitable workforce to address the challenges employers face today and build a robust talent pipeline for the future,” said Secretary Jones. “These grants provide equity-focused job training to ensure our workforce is skilled and ready to meet the needs of the state’s growing clean energy industry and the Commonwealth’s climate goals. We look forward to partnering with all organizations to help unlock the potential of diverse talent across Massachusetts.”
“Building and expanding our workforce is a foundational element of the clean energy transition,” said MassCEC CEO Jennifer Daloisio. “The evolution of MassCEC’s programming in workforce development shows our commitment to inclusive and intentional growth that delivers good-paying jobs to families and clean energy to residents across the Commonwealth. We are grateful for the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s continued support, and we look forward to seeing these organizations carry out their promising work.”
The Healey-Driscoll Administration is supporting historic growth in Massachusetts’ clean energy industry. Earlier this year, Governor Healey announced Clean Energy Innovation Career Pathways for high school students. With Massachusetts heading into a historic offshore wind solicitation and with the brand-new Massachusetts Community Climate Bank, careers in clean energy are more needed than ever. MassCEC has been supporting workforce development in this sector for over a decade.
An expanded description of awards can be found at MassCEC.com, link locations below. Awardees are:
Equity Workforce Training Grants:
Implementation
Action for Equity
BlocPower
MassHire North Shore
Greenfield Community College
Energetics
Greater Lawrence Technical School
Building Pathways
RARE
Nordee Enterprise
Community Works Services
Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology
Capacity
Julius Education
LISC
MassHire South Shore
National Society of Black Engineers
Northeast Home Energy Ratings System Alliance
New England Women in Energy and the Environment
People Acting in Community Endeavors
Tremco
Apprentice Learning
Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Madison Park Technical Vocational High School
Studio for High-Performance Design and Construction
Total: $10,571,579
Implementation
Center for Women & Enterprise
SRGE
Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
BECMA
Entrepreneurial & Business Collaborative
Capacity
Activate Global, Inc
Boston Center for Community Ownership
Planning
Beacon Climate Innovations
Roads Consulting Group
Total: $4,035,679
Tufts University
UMass Amherst Clean Energy Extension
Self Reliance
MassHire Cape and Islands Workforce Board
Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology
North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund
UMass Dartmouth
Bristol Community College
STEAM the Streets
Mass Maritime Academy
VinciVR
Total: $3,404,366